Words of wisdom

Originally posted by pickin4life
Well ive ready everyones reply and I thank you for all the USEFUL information. BUT I do have an ego and along with that ego comes respect. Respect for not only other peoples opinions but for music itself. So (incidents happen) learn to respect other peoples opinions also. Maybe it is a dumb philosophy to think that there is a best at something but its my opinion. And if u think about it, in my opinion I dont think legends like BB King and such would have taken private lessons. Whats the point of going somewhere and learning something when everyone else can go learn it to. So if ur showin off to some friends ur like "I learned how to play that new song on the radio with my guitar." So they come back in a week and their like I learned to play it to. Theres no point in it. But if u teache ur self how to play guitar and u use ur own method and technique then you are original. You came up with it. A hundred and fifty people cant go take lessons and learn the same thing. And if they do u will be noted for creating it. Just like they did when the guitar was invented or whatever. Thats what keeps music fresh and unique, not boring and all the same. And if I wanna end every fu**ing post or reply with ROCK ON!!!!!!!!!! I will. So, fu**ing ROCK ON.

Once again, that was my opinion that you have dumb philosophy, so respect it! An ego, comes respect? An ego does nothing but disrespect the other members of your band that isn't in existence yet. All an ego like yours does is disrupt any possible connection between you and ANY member of your band. I don't mean love connection, i mean an actual musical connection, one that can only be achieved by the 'Death of Ego' as myself and Trey anastasio and several other guitar players name it. At the death of Ego, you stop completely trying to impress anybody and the whooole musical sense drives even more in you than ever you imagined...like a feeling of nirvana. anyways, you cannot accomplish this with a "Im the best" attitude, because nobody will want to jam with you then.
I myself have been playing for 1 year 2 months, at 6 hours a day (up to 8 now) and could walk up on stage with a guitar and sit in, with just about ANY band, and they'd probably dig the sound.
I do not have an ego...at least not very much of one, it has been shattered by my character.
Once again, i do not brag, show off, or any of that to my friends, i sit at home, play guitar, and thats that. It is hypocrites like you ("i respect people's opinions" then in the next sentence start bitchin at my opinion. )

"Judge Not, Before you Judge Yourself."

I have judged myself on the basis that i simply play guitar, and have an uncommon taste for it, (8 hours a day, sometimes 10 or 11), and that i know things every musician should know. Respect that.

Do you play rhyth or lead? or both?

Just about saying you could fit into any band.

You ever notice that if a doctor,mechanic or dentist say their good,no one ever gives them a problem.No one ever says,"That mechanic thinks highly of himself,what an ego trip".

Only the art of guitar,must we suffer on,alone.

Or Something.


http://www.deadleaves.com

Im sure if they were at a mechanics convention theyde hear all about it.

I think very highly of people who admit they are good, shows they arent afraid to be honest. As long as you can back it up, and its not meant in a self-indulgent way its ok.

I remember back in July of '91,the last fleeting moments of The Hair Bands,I saw this band at a local club.The guitar player for the opening band joined us at our table,was introduced by someone,and then calmly said,"I can destroy anyone,just name the time and place."

My friends and I just sat there and collectively went,"Ahhhhhhh,,,,Yeah."
We never saw or heard of this dude again,but,damn,thats what I call an ego trip to the max.



http://www.deadleaves.com

Incidents, now I'm sorry, but you have become a self-indulgent-crap-talking-hot-head. You are the first to judge, telling how 'dumb (someone's) philosophy' is. I'm sorry, but that doesn't work.
I'm absolutely sure you can't sit with any band at all. And even if you were the new Hendrix, with that kind of attitude, you'll get nowhere.
Last night, there was a quite good sax player on a jam I was participating in. But he spoiled everything because he thought he knew better. Well, us stringers shut the ****er up by just playing those awesome grooves with the drummer that left no spot for him to solo over (he wanted to solo, **** the exchange) I had a blast, he didn't, **** him...

Re: B.B. King and self teachings.

You make a very cool point. Some folks ( like you and others here) have the gift of making music and a passion to stay with it. I wanna, I just haven't set aside the extra time I know I will need. That leads us to the slippery slope of instruction. I guess it's a matter of asking around and finding the person that can explain things in a way that make sense to you as a student. I let you know when I find that type of instructor for me.

Frank Zappa. Light years ahead of his time in music and the rights of freedom of expression. I sit smugly ( In his honor ) at the thrashing he gave a young Tipper Gore and the P.M.R.C. that sat straight backed and slack jawed at the man before them in hearings about ' obcenities ' in music so many years ago. They could not keep up with his mind so they hid behind the values they thought all of America was lacking. ( They: P.M.R.C. ) I wonder what we would have heard from him these days if he were still around.

Quote: In the mean time you want to learn faster yet your ears and the tablatures you find aren't
enough; I say that the solution to your problem is very clear

I have to bust hump to play the easiest of tunes, but I know that and I don't mind.

I'll be over by the dental floss bush... :D

"I wonder what kind of toys your children might have-"
FZ: "Well, why?"
"ah.. just as a point of interest-"
FZ: "Well, come right on over to the house, I'll show them to you"
::uproarous laughter in the room::
"I-I just might take you up on that"
::people still laughing::

Frank Zappa Meets The Mothers of Prevention is quite the album.

i didnt mean like ****in rippin it up or anything lal, and when i meant 'any' i meant alot of bar bands, not Frank Zappa or something.

Blaksmith said:
Some folks ( like you and others here) have the gift of making music and a passion to stay with it. I wanna, I just haven't set aside the extra time I know I will need.



I figured out a way around this in my teen years,I don't advise it to anyone,unless your a real James Dean type and can stand the heckles.I took my guitar everywhere,literally.Had it strapped on my back,and I'd go see friends,the arcade,the local cruising strip,the town hang out,bush parties,I always had it with me and was able to have a social life at the same time,while getting in tons of practice.Mind you now,I usually kept whipping thru scales,so it wasn't important that I heard what I was doing.But you get a lot of looks from people,passerbys throwin me quarters,people singin "Dead or Alive" from Bon Jovi,stuff like that.

I don't believe this is a great way to get practice time in,and I don't advise it at all,unless you got a set,and you like to get attention.
It's also a good way to cause accidents,cuz you'll see these people drive by and twist their necks like contortionists,and these strange faces like I just sliced some fresh onions in a church.But,for my sake,it paid off,and I solved the problem of being the kid who couldn't go out cuz he had to practice,I just brought the practice with me.

Good Luck,Carry On!!!!

[Edited by THE_HACK_PACK on 06-05-2002 at 06:57 PM]

I'm glad to see I'm not the only vegetarian here. Is it for health reasons, or what? I remember your old signature, and occaisionally thought of stealing it. I admire the conviction to be Vegan, but, well, I just love cheese too much, that's all it comes down to.

Originally posted by PonyOne
the only vegan-esque thing about my attitude is that I will not tolerate people consuming duck around me.

Me too but tahts case duck is horrible. Actually all birds tatste horrible, I only like beef really.

Originally posted by pickin4life
Could anyone give me some advice on how to learn songs faster cause mainly I just read tabs and listen to the song. But tabs are usually wrong.

Hi!

Well.. i recently found a nice plugin for winamp which is very usefull for tabbing out songs - its called "Pace maker" - you can slow down a song without changing the pitch of it - that makes it alot easier to tab it out. its freeware - just look it up on the net somewhere.

Well I am self taught myself and if I wasnt the incrediblly compulsive person I am I would have quit. You have an extrememly long road ahead and I'd recommend lessons. I was once in your shoes "well I think I have been doing good one my own, so why get lessons now"? Well let me tell you honestly with only 6 months of learning by yourself you have to face it the odds are against you, most likely to put it simply, you must suck. Cause I know I did and everyone I know that had only been playing for 6 months did too, it takes a long time but you will see yourself getting better and it will be worth it. There is soo much theory and techniques that you havent even hit the tip of the iceberg yet regardless of if you think you have.

Don't get me wrong it is possible to teach yourself but takes alot more work and extreme amounts of struggling and dedication, however I did it and know others that did it and it is definitley possible.

If you want to teach yourself you still must learn theory anyone of marginally good playing understands theory.

Heres a few steps when teaching yourself(they are not in any particular order)


1) Buy Begining asoustic guitar(it is applicable to electric as well and is a great tool) By Greg Horne. There are three of them after 4-6 months get the next and so on.

2) Get a metronome- Practice the exercises within the book while keeping a rythm by utilizing a metronome.

3) Study music styles and find out what you want to learn

4) Learn easy songs that you like and try to cover them learn the vocal melodies

5) Learn the intervals-they are the building blocks of music and very important

6) Learn the major scale and all its positions

7) Learn how to read tab, dont waste your time with standard notation (thats my opinion).

8) Try to get another guitar player to practice with and try doing blues progressions, trade-offs, alternate on solo-ing...etc..

9) As you practice your scales sing the notes it will improve your relative pitch

10) Practice regularly like 2 sessions of 1 hour a day if you can. I feel the more the merrier however make sure its structured time

11) keep a journal

12) Learn the CAGED theory

13) Practice doing chord speed drills- Take a dozen chords and practice alternating between them as you learn new ones add them to the list.


This will take a while to learn all this however it will let you see if you have the ability, time, and patience to teach yourself. If this fails get lessons, I think most self taught people wish they could go back and take lessons, you will undoubtedly be better with them. However I have gotten pretty decent on my own and am proud of that!

Good luck,

Thomyorke575

All the greats took lessons of some sort, sitting listening absorbing. BB king was asked for advice on this topic at UBC once, he advized to do as he did and learn to read music and play in all keys. SRV spent years learning from his older brother and "absorbing" (learning,...lessons) from people in his daily life. Learning to read music is like learning to read and write a language "english", it would be very difficult if not impossible to become a writter without learning to read and write. Same with music. Without these abilities your musical vocabulary will be limited, and the ability to communicate also. Some students of mine over the years have refused this advice and proclaimed to have a false magical "gift' to play by ear. Ten years later they are still playing the same fragmented Metallica riffs poorly and are no longer the life of the party, but the joke. Why only play with one sense, use all ear, hands, body, mind soul, art brain, logic brain, emotions. Why have tunnel vision when all the peripheral is available.
Like BB king I am no genius at site reading,...give me my part for a show and I'll be ready in a week, more than ready, I have the option now to use both ear, reading, tab, etc. Modern Guitar Method 1,2,3 by William Leviatte(spelling?) any ways Berklee press, it is on line.
Imagine a world if Shakespear was illiterate or J.S.Bach chose not to write and read music, just play it by ear,...Megadeath, Malstiem,...Vai...Satch....Van Halen,...Randy Rhoads,...etc. would have had nothing to go on.



[Edited by nechako on 06-11-2002 at 01:12 PM]